The present invention generally relates to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly to a technique of fabricating an electrical fuse (hereinafter “e-fuse”) with a bottom contact in a middle of line (hereinafter “MOL”) of a semiconductor structure.
An e-fuse is a structure that is blown in accordance with a suitable electrical current. For example, an electrical current is provided through the e-fuse to eventually cause the e-fuse to blow and create an open circuit. Programming refers to intentionally blowing an e-fuse and creating the open circuit. In integrated circuitry memory devices, e-fuses can be used for activating redundancy in memory chips and for programming functions and codes in logic chips. Specifically, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM) may employ e-fuses for such purposes.
E-fuses can also be used to prevent decreased chip yield caused by random defects generated in the manufacturing process. Moreover, e-fuses provide for future customization of a standardized chip design. For example, e-fuses may provide for a variety of voltage options, packaging pin out options, or any other options desired by the manufacturer to be employed prior to the final processing. These customization possibilities make it easier to use one basic design for several different end products and help increase chip yield.